As anyone who has ever searched for fabric online knows, there are hundreds of online fabric stores and other sites selling home decor and apparel fabrics. Many of them are fairly generic and offer a variety of basic fabrics, some are outlets of manufacturers, while others are stores specialized in certain types of fabrics. Selecting the right online supplier is not an easy task.
Unless you are willing to spend a considerable time browsing the various sites – which can be a very pleasant experience as many of the online stores are well organized and come with beautiful pictures, detailed descriptions and a variety of other resources – a guide to the biggest or most interesting online fabric stores may be helpful.
Big stores with general selection
Other big, ‘mainly-basic’ sites may focus exclusively on home decor or apparel fabrics, only. Fabric Guru is an excellently organized, easy-to-navigate site for discount upholstery, drapery and outdoor fabrics. Novice home decorators will definitely find the right fabrics for their novice projects at affordable prices here.
Online outlets of traditional retail stores
Online stores of established suppliers with existing ‘real’ stores are notable due to the excellent service and support they can offer. The online stores of San Francisco’s famous Britex Fabrics or New York’s Belraf Fabrics have received many positive customer reviews. Both offer swatches and make expert advise easily accessible online, as well.
Fabric sites with specialized offerings
Some online fabric stores focus on building a big selection in a more specialized market. Many sites choose to offer home decor or apparel fabrics, only. Within their specialty, they may further narrow their focus and build up their selection in certain niches, such as designer fabrics or basics, while competing on price and service, as well.
The more popular, specialized home decor fabric stores include Decorators Best offering a huge selection of fabrics from the leading manufacturers on a well-organized site and Design Diva Fabrics, a smaller, but equally well designed site specialized in high quality, designer fabrics at discount prices.
For apparel fabrics, Gorgeous Fabrics is a favorite with its carefully selected offering of high-fashion fabrics complemented with very useful ‘basics’ and its engaging and entertaining descriptions, tips and articles. Emma One Sock sells designer fabrics with many of the site’s products selling out within hours of posting. Reprodepot has a hip reputation as a store specialized in retro and vintage-style cotton reproductions. Farmhouse Fabrics targets more traditional seamstresses and tailors with a solid selection of lighter weight cottons, linens and silks, as well as, ribbons, buttons and cording.
And niche stores for organic, Chinese, Indian, African, historical, Hawaii, vintage etc. fabrics
There is a plethora of smaller, highly specialized stores focusing on narrow niche markets, some, such as Connecting Threads, focusing only on one manufacturer. But it is at these limited selection fabric stores where you can find the perfect fabric for a special and unique project: exotic silk brocade from Tiber (Exotic India Art), organic cotton (GreenSage), real English tweed (Linton Tweeds) or brightly colored Hawaiian prints (Hawaii Fabric Mart).
Happy browsing for the perfect fabric for your project!
